A nice town with a golden reputation, San Clemente is an old-new city that in recent years took off into the upscale, but in many ways remains a modest town.

Located on the Pacific and on the San Diego County border, San Clemente is the southernmost city in Orange County. The City rises about 30 to 40 feet from the beach, moves east on a flat plane until it reaches the other side of the freeway, then rises abruptly into hills that are divided by steep ravines.

From the beach to the hills you will find homes ranging from sensational to modestly upscale, offering something for every potential home buyer.

San Clemente began in 1950 with about 800 homes, and has grown to host over 20,000 housing units consisting of single-family detached, single attached, and multiples units.

Old San Clemente, found west of Interstate 5, is a pleasant mix of older homes (big, small, many custom and oriented toward the ocean, commanding premium prices), as well as hotels, apartments, and condos. Palm trees, shrubs and plants are plentiful. This area has a resort town atmosphere, and during the summer attracts many tourists.

On the north side of town, you will find a single-home neighborhood with two-car garages, three-bedroom units, and some with rear balconies to catch site of the ocean.

East of the freeway you will find the new San Clemente with large homes, wood shingled two and three car garages, and many positioned to command views of the Pacific. In the hills of San Clemente, the bedazzling homes come in a variety of designs: Moorish, colonial, etc. Rancho San Clemente mixes a business-technology park with upscale homes that circle around one of the hills. Apartments, condos and gated neighborhoods can also be found in the hills. Some homes have eastern views of the countryside, not the ocean.

The Capistrano School District serves San Clemente, and, with some exceptions, scores land in the 70th to 90th percentiles. The crime rate is low overall, with a population estimated at around 50,000.

Recreational amenities abound in San Clemente, which is an ideal environment for outdoor-loving and beach-going individuals and families. A state park at the beach, a municipal pier, fishing, surfing (first class waves!), and swimming are very popular for residents and visitors. Two golf courses, 12 city parks, a club house, community playhouse, Boys and Girls Club, library, restaurants, and many other sports and activities for all age groups are also present. Occasionally you may even find a Clam Chowder Cook-Off!